When Rafael Nadal officially announced his retirement, it wasn’t unexpected. However, what hit almost every tennis fan was the fact that, after a career of coming back from the most challenging of situations, this time, the Spaniard won’t return. But when it comes to the legacy he’s leaving behind, if there’s anyone emulating it – at least on clay – it’s Iga Swiatek. So, the prospect of someone from her idol’s team joining hers is enticing. Turns out, it could happen.

The Pole had a good start to the season courtesy of her remarkable victories in the Qatar Open and Indian Wells, followed by the French Open triumph – her fifth Grand Slam. But after facing defeat in the Olympic semifinal (even though she secured a bronze medal in the third-place match) and an early exit in the US Open, it seemed Swiatek’s scintillating form met a screeching halt. 

Not only did she withdraw from the Asian swing after that, but she also ended her three-year partnership with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski last week. Fast forward a few days, and her idol announced his retirement. As one of the first to pay tribute to her “biggest inspiration,” Swiatek shared how Nadal’s inspiring journey helped her stay motivated and push boundaries. But his departure from professional tennis could work in Swiatek’s favor, and per journalist Nacho Albarran, her coaching conundrum can finally end!

Think about it. With Rafa retiring in November after the Davis Cup Finals, his coach, Carlos Moya, will most likely be on the market for a job. That is if he has no commitments at the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy in Manacor. After Toni Nadal stepped down from coaching his nephew in early 2017, Moya took over head coach duties from him. Back when that happened, Toni Nadal didn’t think he would coach again, especially if it was anyone other than Rafa. But we all know Felix Auger-Aliassime made it happen. That said, could Moya potentially work with Iga Swiatek? 

The Pole, who climbed the World No. 1 spot and won 19 singles titles, including 4 of her 5 Grand Slams, under Wiktorowski’s guidance, is looking for a “foreign coach.”  Per Asa journalist Nacho Albarran (who was in conversation with sport.interia.pl), “Carlos Moya would be a good trainer for Swiatek. Moya played very well on clay, knows this surface very well, and knows a lot about tennis.” [Translated by Google]

Albarran added, “He helped Nadal even improve the service and play more directly, without long building any exchange, which could be good for Iga.” As Nadal has gotten older, getting cheap points on his serve – especially with his lethal one-two punch – has become more crucial than ever. Other than the fact that he may not have the same amount of energy to chase down every possible ball as he did in the early stages of his career, it’s also because of his persistent injury concerns. Especially his left foot.

So, since Carlos Moya became his head coach in 2018, it’s become evident that Nadal has been focusing on shortening rallies as much as possible, using his power and aggressiveness to even more effect. From then to now, the 38-year-old has won 17 titles, 6 of which were Grand Slams. That said, Nacho Albarran believes Moya’s influence will be good for the 23-year-old.

“In theory, Moya would be able to give her tennis aggressiveness, diversify the style with cut backhands, drop shots, and approaching the net.” It’s only Albarran’s perspective, though, and as far as Swiatek is concerned, she is currently training with hitting partner Tomasz Moczek and Polish Fed Cup captain Dawid Celt.

When it comes to Moya, the 1998 French Open champion, who propelled Spain’s Davis Cup team to victory in 2004, can bring a new change in Swiatek’s gameplay. It would certainly be fruitful for the World No. 1, who admitted to learning from her idol’s gameplay as a kid on TV and has always been vocal about how she appreciates Nadal’s forehand strokes and that she wants to learn more from it. Per Swiatek, “Rafa’s backhand is pretty flat. I think we have many similarities in that case.”

Besides her on-court achievements and accolades, Iga Swiatek is a huge admirer of Nadal’s off-court demeanor as well. And she reiterated it once again in her heartfelt tribute to the 22-time Grand Slam champion!

“The sky is the limit for you now,” said Iga Swiatek about Rafael Nadal’s retirement

Following Rafael Nadal’s announcement of retirement (after playing in the Davis Cup Finals later in the year), Iga Swiatek took to her Instagram and posted a video to show her admiration for the Spaniard. Besides sharing his impactful influence on her own tennis career, Swiatek said, “Thank you for being such an amazing person off the court as well because your humility is something that is not (seen) so often when you see other athletes succeeding. You’re the one that always stayed honest to himself and true to himself.”

Furthermore, she wrote, “Thank you for being a really good person and hope you’re gonna enjoy the other part of your life and hopefully maybe some other career because the sky is the limit for you now.” She concluded her statement by wishing to see Nadal spend some quality time with his friends and family post-retirement.

Swiatek has always been vocal about her admiration for Nadal. Once, she even confessed that she would like “to be like Rafa” if she reached more heights in her career. However, now, the question is: Will she be able to utilize this opportunity to end her coaching worries by hiring Nadal’s coach? Well, we’ll likely find out in the next couple of months!